Abstract: Method for fabricating an acoustical resonator on a substrate having a top surface. First, a depression in said top surface is generated. Next, the depression is filled with a sacrificial material. The filled depression has an upper surface level with said top surface of said substrate. Next, a first electrode is deposited on said upper surface. Then, a layer of piezoelectric material is deposited on said first electrode. A second electrode is deposited on the layer of piezoelectric material using a mass load lift-off process.

Abstract: Method for fabricating an acoustical resonator on a substrate having a top surface. First, a depression in said top surface is generated. Next, the depression is filled with a sacrificial material. The filled depression has an upper surface level with said top surface of said substrate. Next, a first electrode is deposited on said upper surface. Then, a layer of piezoelectric material is deposited on said first electrode. A second electrode is deposited on the layer of piezoelectric material using a mass load lift-off process.

Abstract: A sensor senses an environmental condition. The sensor includes a film bulk acoustic resonator that includes a layer of material that causes resonant frequency and/or quality factor shifts of the film bulk acoustic resonator in response to changes in the environmental condition. The environmental condition may be relative humidity and the layer of material may be a moisture absorptive material.

Abstract: Method for fabricating an acoustical resonator on a substrate having a top surface. First, a depression in said top surface is generated. Next, the depression is filled with a sacrificial material. The filled depression has an upper surface level with said top surface of said substrate. Next, a first electrode is deposited on said upper surface. Then, a layer of piezoelectric material is deposited on said first electrode. A second electrode is deposited on the layer of piezoelectric material using a mass load lift-off process.

Abstract: An apparatus such as a thin film resonator has a bottom electrode, a top electrode, and a composite layer between the two electrodes. The composite layer includes a piezoelectric (PZ) layer having a first coupling coefficient and a coupling coefficient control (CCC) layer having a second coupling coefficient. By varying the relative thicknesses of the PZ layer and the CCC layer during the manufacturing process, the coupling coefficient of the resonator can be established (to any value between the first coupling coefficient and the second coupling coefficient) with minimal impact on resonant frequency. Further, it is relatively less difficult to fabricate the PZ layer and the CCC layer having the desired coupling coefficient (as a combination of the first coupling coefficient and the second coupling coefficient) compared to the difficulties of fabrication of a uniform PZ layer having the desired coupling coefficient.

Abstract: Acoustic resonator devices having multiple resonant frequencies and methods of making the same are described. In one aspect, an acoustic resonator device includes an acoustic resonant structure that includes first and second electrodes and first and second piezoelectric layers. The first and second electrodes abut opposite sides of a resonant volume free of any interposing electrodes. The first and second piezoelectric layers are disposed for acoustic vibrations in the resonant volume and have different respective acoustical resonance characteristics and respective piezoelectric axes oriented in different directions. The acoustic resonant structure has resonant electric responses at first and second resonant frequencies respectively determined at least in part by the acoustical resonance characteristics of the first and second piezoelectric layers.

Abstract: Method for fabricating an acoustical resonator on a substrate having a top surface. First, a depression in said top surface is generated. Next, the depression is filled with a sacrificial material. The filled depression has an upper surface level with said top surface of said substrate. Next, a first electrode is deposited on said upper surface. Then, a layer of piezoelectric material is deposited on said first electrode. A second electrode is deposited on the layer of piezoelectric material using a mass load lift-off process.

Abstract: A magnetron with mechanisms for smoothly and continuously adjusting a DC power applied to its targets to compensate for the changes in the sputtering characteristics of the targets that occur with target aging. A magnetron according to the present teachings includes a set of concentric targets for sputtering a film onto a wafer in response to an AC power and a DC power applied to the targets and a power controller that adjusts the DC power. The adjustments to the DC power enable the magnetron to maintain uniformity in the thicknesses of films formed with the magnetron throughout the life of its targets.

Abstract: A magnetron with mechanisms for controlling the magnetic field that acts on its targets in such a manner as to provide control over erosion patterns and independent control of stress, uniformity, deposition rate, and coupling coefficient of a deposited film. A magnetron according to the present teachings includes a set of targets each for eroding a material for deposition onto a wafer contained in the magnetron and a mechanism for adjusting a racetrack position on each target. The racetrack position defines the areas of the targets from which a predominant amount of the material is eroded. The control of racetrack position enables precise control of erosion characteristics and control over stress, uniformity, deposition rate, and coupling coefficient.

Abstract: Systems and methods of monitoring thin film deposition are described. In one aspect, a thin film deposition sensor includes an acoustical resonator (e.g., a thin film bulk acoustical resonator) that has an exposed surface and is responsive to thin film material deposits on the exposed surface. A substrate clip may be configured to attach the thin film deposition sensor to a substrate. A transceiver circuit may be configured to enable the thin film deposition sensor to be interrogated wirelessly. A method of monitoring a thin film deposition on a substrate also is described.

Abstract: Systems and methods of monitoring thin film deposition are described. In one aspect, a thin film deposition sensor includes an acoustical resonator (e.g., a thin film bulk acoustical resonator) that has an exposed surface and is responsive to thin film material deposits on the exposed surface. A substrate clip may be configured to attach the thin film deposition sensor to a substrate. A transceiver circuit may be configured to enable the thin film deposition sensor to be interrogated wirelessly. A method of monitoring a thin film deposition on a substrate also is described.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a resonator, and in particular, a thin film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), and a resonator embodying the method are disclosed. An FBAR is fabricating on a substrate by introducing a mass loading electrode to a bottom electrode layer. For a substrate having multiple resonators, mass loading bottom electrode is introduced for only selected resonator to provide resonators having different resonance frequencies on the same substrate.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a resonator, and in particular, a thin film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), and a resonator embodying the method are disclosed. An FBAR is fabricated on a substrate by reducing mass from a top electrode layer. For a substrate having multiple resonators, mass is reduced from only selected resonator to provide resonators having different resonance frequencies on the same substrate.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a resonator, and in particular, a thin film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), and a resonator embodying the method are disclosed. An FBAR is fabricated on a substrate by mass loading piezoelectric (PZ) layer between two electrodes. For a substrate having multiple resonators, only selected resonator is mass loaded to provide resonators having different resonance frequencies on the same substrate.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a resonator, and in particular, a thin film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), and a resonator embodying the method are disclosed. A resonator is fabricated on a substrate, and its top electrode 56 is oxidized to form a oxide layer 58. For a substrate having multiple resonators, the top electrode 56 of only selected resonator is oxidized to provide resonators having different resonance frequencies on the same substrate.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a resonator, and in particular, a thin film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), and a resonator embodying the method are disclosed. An FBAR is fabricated on a substrate by introducing a mass loading top electrode layer. For a substrate having multiple resonators, the top mass loading electrode layer is introduced for only selected resonator to provide resonators having different resonance frequencies on the same substrate.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a resonator, and in particular, a thin film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), and a resonator embodying the method are disclosed. The resonator is fabricated on a substrate by fabricating a bottom electrode layer and a piezoelectric (PZ) layer over the bottom electrode layer. A selected portion of the PZ layer is partially etched. Then, a top electrode is fabricated over the selected portion of the PZ layer.

Abstract: A bulk acoustic resonator having a high quality factor is formed on a substrate having a depression formed in a top surface of the substrate. The resonator includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric material and a second electrode. The first electrode is disposed on the top surface of the substrate and extends beyond the edges of the depression by a first distance to define a first region therebetween. The piezoelectric material is disposed on the top surface of the substrate and over the first electrode, and the second electrode is disposed on the piezoelectric material. The second electrode includes a portion that is located above the depression. The portion of the second electrode that is located over the depression has at least one edge that is offset from a corresponding edge of the depression by a second distance to define a second region therebetween. The first and second regions have different impedances, as a result of the different materials located in the two regions.

Abstract: A device includes a die that contains a filter circuit. The filter is implemented using film bulk acoustic resonators. A package contains the die. The package includes a base portion. Signal paths are incorporated in the base portion. Solder joints attach the die to the base portion. The solder joints electrically connect pads on the die to the signal paths in the base portion. The solder joints do not include, and are used instead of, wire bonds.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for representing slow motion of an oscillating heart by forming strobed images of the heart at a sequence of uniformly spaced times with controllable time interval lengths that are related to, but not identical to, the primary oscillation period T of the heart. The heart images may be formed at a sequence of times t=t.sub.0 +kMT.sub.h /N where t.sub.0 is an initial time, N is a positive integer, k=1,2, . . . , N-1 and M is a positive integer. Alternatively, the heart images may be formed at a sequence of times determined in part by the current oscillation cycle of the heart.